Family-Friendly Guide to Bend, OR: Adventures Await in Oregon's Hidden Gem

Planning Your Family Trip to The Pacific Northwest

After traveling around the west coast of the United States with our family of four—we’ve been fortunate enough to visit quite a few cities and towns from San Diego up to Banff, Canada—we’ve never seen a place quite like Bend. Perhaps it has something to do with its quaint downtown area that’s situated among towering pines. Or maybe it’s the majestic mountain peaks piercing the far-off sky.

If you have yet to catch word of this fast-growing “city” in Central Oregon, you’re in for quite the surprise. Bend is truly special in every way. Not only are there endless outdoor activities to do year-round, but Bend also has an incredibly unique vibe that you have to see to believe. And it’s a great place to visit with your family.

Visiting Bend, Oregon

Whether you’re visiting Bend for a long weekend or a full-fledged holiday, it helps to have an outline of an itinerary to make the most of your time. With that being said, everything in Bend is relatively close so you won’t have to venture far (but you certainly can). When it comes to family travel with young kids, we’ve found this to be extremely helpful in ensuring we’re able to do most, if not all of the things we’ve set out to do.

The Wonders of Bend, Oregon

Located about 3.5 hours southeast of Portland, Bend was once a sleepy logging town in Central Oregon. Today—and because of its draw to outdoor enthusiasts across the US—Bend has skyrocketed in population over the last 10 years.

As a high desert city and one of the best places to explore the versatile outdoor ecosystem, there is no shortage of unique sights in Bend. Here, you can find everything from incredible lava rock formations to sprawling green forests to ancient juniper trees. But the views of Three Sisters in the distance are absolutely breathtaking. On a sunny day, you can clearly see the snow-covered mountain peaks watching over Deschutes County and all the rest of Central Oregon.

But a huge part of Bend’s appeal isn’t just the convenient proximity to world-class outdoor activities—it’s also the vibrant city full of fantastic restaurants, beautiful parks, and exceptional tasting rooms everywhere you look. The city is welcoming, it’s a great place to raise a family, and you get a little bit of everything during your stay here.

What to Do For Families in Bend, OR

Once you arrive in Bend and depending on the season, there are several great things to do when traveling with your family. If you’re visiting in the summer or spring, Drake Park is an awesome place to hang out and have a picnic. The park is full of beautiful pine trees with a great view of the Deschutes River. In the summer, you can catch a mass of people “floating the river” in blow-up tubes and stand-up paddleboards. It’s quite a sight!

For other great outdoor activities when the weather is still nice, head over to Pilot Butte to hike up a lava dome 500 feet above the surrounding plains. You can either use the road that winds through the dome (great for strollers) or if you’re feeling like a workout, take the dirt trail that cuts right through the trees. There’s some serious elevation when you choose this path but it’s totally worth it. Once you get to the top, you’re met with a stunning 360-degree view of majestic mountains, rolling hills, and lush green forest that stretches past the horizon.

If you really want to immerse yourself in Central Oregon’s incredible nature, take the Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway just outside of town all the way up to Mt. Bachelor. This incredible voyage starts in Bend on Rt. 97 where you’ll pass the visitor center as you head into the Deschutes National Forest. Here, you’ll steadily climb Century Drive (Oregon Rt. 372) for about 30-40 minutes before the peak of Mt. Bachelor dominates your view of the sky.

Along the way, you’ll have incredible views just outside your window with a number of trails to walk, bike, or run. During the warmer months, the gate into Deschutes National Forest will be open. There’s so many beautiful lakes you can visit like Devils Lake, Elk Lake (there’s an awesome resort here), and Lava Lake.

After a long day in the great outdoors, Bend is full of fantastic eating and drinking options. Here, you have everything from popular Indian cuisine at Taj Palace Indian Cuisine to delicious Mediterranean food at Joolz.

For some great craft beer and cider—Bend has this in spades—check out Crux Fermentation Project or Avid Cider Co. These two amazing places are less than two miles apart making for plenty of options.

Other great things to do for families traveling to Bend, OR: catch a show at the Hayden Homes Amphitheatre (previously known as the Les Schwab Amphitheatre), take your kids to one of the many other parks like Orchard Park, go swimming in the Deschutes River, Snow Blast Tubing, and many other excursions set up by Visit Bend.

Where to Eat in Bend, OR

When visiting Bend, OR, you’ll find no shortage of great restaurants. For fantastic breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snack options, check out our recommendations below when traveling with your family.

Breakfast

Is there anything better than enjoying breakfast with a view of sweeping pines and incredible mountain peaks? I didn’t think so. When it comes to great breakfast options in Bend, here are our recommendations:

If you’re looking for a quick grab-and-go breakfast, look no further than Sparrow Bakery. Although they have many delicious options and some incredible coffee, you absolutely have to try the Ocean Roll. Made with Cardamom Vanilla Sugar and rolled into what looks like a cinnamon roll, you’ll be happy you tried this unique pastry. Another great option for a quick grab-and-go breakfast is Nancy P’s Cafe & Bakery. If you like traditional breakfast sandwiches give their savory pockets a try. But hurry—they usually sell out before 11:30 AM.

For a nice sit-down breakfast with family, we typically alternate between McKay Cottage Restaurant and The Lemon Tree. At Mckay, you can’t go wrong with either the All American Breakfast or Mama’s Cinnamon Toast. They also have incredible hot caramel lattes. At the Lemon Tree, they have an incredible Mt. Bachelor Breakfast Sammy and Jumbo Lump Crab Cake Benedict.

Lunch

Lunch has always been one of our favorite meals. Because there are so many breweries here in Bend, there are a lot of awesome places to sit down and enjoy a nice midday meal with a view.

To start, Bend Brewing Company is one of our favorite places to grab a burger and a beer—especially when the weather is warm. Located right in the heart of downtown, Bend Brew Co. offers great views of the Deschutes River from the comfort of a vibrant patio. If you’re a meat-eater, we highly recommend the Trade War Stout Burger made with house-made Trade War Stout BBQ sauce. It’s absolutely delicious.

For great beers that are typically always on tap, make sure to try Tropic Pines IPA or their Ching Ching Sour Ale. There are several other great beers as well that rotate depending on the season.

Another great lunch option just outside the downtown area is Sunriver Brewing Company. As a locally owned and operated business, Sunriver Brewing offers incredible craft beers with some kick-ass comfort food. Oh, and they regularly have limited releases on tap or to buy on the go!

Last but not least, we’re also big fans of 10 Barrel Brewing Company with locations in the eastside and westside of Bend. I know, I know, quite a few breweries here but not only is the beer phenomenal, but the food is tasty as well. For food, any of the artisan pizzas will do nicely. When it comes to beer, one of my personal favorites has to be Profuse Juice although 10 Barrel regularly rotates their taps as well.

Dinner

Alright—breakfast and lunch are over. It’s time to get to the good stuff. Whether you’re looking for something casual or a nice steakhouse, Bend has it all.

First up for best places to eat with your family in Bend, OR: The Blacksmith Restaurant. Serving food in a historic blacksmith shop in Downtown Bend, Oregon, The Blacksmith falls on the more expensive (but delicious) side of dinner options. Here you’ll find dim lighting with an array of delicious steaks, sides, and cocktails that make for a great night with the family. Some of our favorites include the Rogue Mignon, Surf and Turf, Harvest Pasta (we get this every time for our kids), Brussel Sprouts (to die for), Mac N Cheese with Truffle Oil and Bacon, and for dessert, the Creme Brulee.

Another great dinner option for families in Downtown Bend, Oregon, is 900 Wall. Considered a fine dining restaurant, 900 Wall not only has a casually sophisticated vibe, but they also have a great happy hour that runs until 5:30 PM Monday through Friday.

You can find the full Dinner Menu here, and the Happy Hour menu here.

For a more casual atmosphere with great eats, there’s also Chi Chinese and Sushi Bar (located just outside of downtown) and The Drake located right before Drake Park in Downtown Bend, Oregon. Both are absolutely exceptional in their own respect.

Coffee Shops and Other Awesome Breweries in Bend, Oregon

Although we mentioned quite a few breweries as great places to hang out for families while in Bend, Oregon, there are a few more that are worth mentioning. If you do happen to venture up to Mt. Bachelor, Cascade Lakes Brewing is right on the way. With great beer (especially IPA’s), this is an awesome place to stop after a day in nature. Another brewery worth checking out is Deschutes Brewery—which is probably the most famous brewery in Bend.

If you’re looking for great coffee in the area, here are a few of our absolute favorites: Backporch Coffee Roasters, Looney Bean Roasting Company, and Lone Pine Coffee Roasters.

Where to Stay

We’ve been living in Bend for about two years now. Because we aren’t visiting and are actually residents of this Central Oregon city, we’re providing our take on the best accommodations based on recommendations from several friends and family.

So, where do you stay when traveling to Bend, Oregon? When looking for great hotels in the area, you’ll find your traditional Marriott Hotels like SpringHill Suites Bend which is in a great area, along with other unique stays like Campfire Hotel that provides travelers with an authentic Oregon camp culture in a beautifully renovated property.

Aside from traditional hotel stays, there are a number of unique options through Airbnb as well!

Visiting the Pacific Northwest

All in all, the Pacific Northwest is a pretty incredible place to visit when traveling with family. When you look at Bend, in particular, it’s hard to beat what this amazing city has to offer. From surfing man-made waves on the Deschutes River to tasting some of the finest craft beer in the world, Bend is truly amazing in every way. See you out there!

A FAMILY TRAVEL GUIDE TO BEND, OREGON